I just want to let everyone know that i LOVE the iPad. I got one the day it came out and it has changed my daily experience. The iPad is Apple's newest device. If you are not familiar with it, you can go to http://www.apple.com/ipad and read about it or, better, go to one of the many Apple stores in the greater Miami area and get some hands-on experience. Until you use it, you can't really understand the difference it makes.
The iPad supports "lean back" activities, while a computer supports "lean forward" or "sit up" activities. Think about how you read a magazine. You are probably on a couch or reading chair, with your back on the chair, and the magazine held comfortably in front of you. That is the position you are normally in when I use the iPad. Now thing about the position you are in when you are using your computer at your desk. You are sitting forward, with you hands over the keyboard, and your eyes on the monitor. You are "working." Whether you are using a large desktop computer or a portable or a netbook, the position is the same. While you can play games or read for recreation while learning forward, your are less likely to do it than if you were leaning back. So I encourage you to think of an iPad as a magic magazine rather than as a computer without a keypad. Then you might understand where it fits into our lives.
I use my iPad for a range of activities.
- I read books on it. Most are formatted in PDF or ePub formats. I have both technical and entertainment books. They are a joy to read on the iPad. The highlighting and bookmarking capabilities are incredible.
- I watch TV and movies on it. I just finished last year's season of Heroes, and I am starting this past season's Law and Order: SVU. With a 45 minute bus ride each morning and evening, I can watch two episodes per week. The presentation on the 9.7" screen is incredible.
- I also watch TED talks on it. They come out so fast that I often fall behind, and I really want to experience all the talks that are posted on ted.com<http://ted.com>. Since they are always available on my iPad, I watch one whenever I have 20 minutes or so available.
- I check my e-mail with it. I have the wi-fi model, so it isn't "always on" the internet. I have to be somewhere with a wireless internet service. That includes UM, my house, McDonalds, and numerous other locations around town. The newer wi-fi + 3G model uses a wireless internet service when you are near one, and uses the telephone's 3G network when you aren't. So you can get to the Internet almost anywhere. But when I am on the Internet I can check my e-mail. And the on-screen keyboard is good enough that I can type out fairly lengthy e-mail messages.
- I surf the internet with it. It is a wonderful way to access the internet. For the first time I find that I can comfortably read things on blogs or news sites. I am not "sitting in front of my computer." I am leaning back in an easy chair, "reading my iPad." It really makes a qualitative difference, at least for me.
- I read the news with it. I start my day check out the weather, the New York Times articles, USA Today, and some news feeds about technology and education. I would guess that I read the news at least 30 minutes more per day than I used to. Again, it is that comfort of leaning back versus sitting at a desk that really makes a difference to me, I think.
- I play games on it. Currently I spending some time every day playing an incredible pinball game on the iPad. I am no pinball wizard (although my brother was called Tommy when we were little) so I don't play it well, even claim to know what I should be aiming at, but it plays like a real pinball game and I love it. Solitaire is great, and I have a few other games that I come back to.
- I connect to remote computers with it. This tends to be a "lean forward" activity, since I see the desktop of my work computers on the screen of the iPad and then can do anything I want on the remote computer. I am using LogMeIn for this. It isn't incredible fast, but it allows me to find a file and send it to someone, even if I am not in the office.
I really am surprised by how much I use it and how it has made my life better. If you have any questions about it, let me know. If you would like some hands-on time with mine, let's set up an appointment. If you just want to see and feel one, stop by the Apple store in Dadeland, the Falls, or any other location, or check at a BestBuy store. More than half the BestBuy stores sell Apple products, including iPads. My iPad was paid for by UM, so that I can evaluate it and give you my thoughts. My thoughts: it is great and I now have a 1.5 pound magic magazine that can do so many different things. I just turned 61 last weekend. I feel like I am too old for all this new technology, but I do love the new experiences it provides.
Bill Vilberg
bill.vilberg@miami.edu<mailto:bill.vilberg@miami.edu>
786-250-2255
